Learning to ask difficult questions: Susannah’s story
It’s Volunteers’ Week 2026, time to thank our dedicated team of 60+ volunteers for all their support. In this series, we highlight a few of our volunteers….
Susannah’s volunteering has taught her to ask the difficult but essential questions.
Susannah has a degree in Classics, a Masters in Gender (Rights and Human Rights) and is currently studying for the law conversion qualification. She makes time in her week to volunteer with us as an Adviceline Adviser.
As an aspiring barrister, Susannah knows it is important for her to develop strong communication and client interview skills to help enable people access the support that they need and are entitled to.
Susannah says, “Volunteering at the same time as studying law has helped put the theory of the academic course into context including by showing me how many critiques of the legal system, such as limited access to legal aid and confusing terminology, hinder access to justice.”
Susannah learns something new every day, and enjoys the variety of issues and situations she is faced with. She has found that she has become a lot more confident asking difficult questions, necessary to fully understand a client’s circumstances, and controlling situations and conversations when they start to go off track which can often happen when emotions are involved. This has made her a much more confident speaker which will be invaluable for her future career.
“I was advising a client recently who was in a very difficult and long-running family situation and didn’t know where to turn. Although the issue was complex and could not be resolved in a straight-forward manner, I was able to help the client break down the problem, direct them towards appropriate resources and suggest next steps to help tackle the issue bit by bit.
“Being able to help clients even a little bit can go a long way, and understanding this has made the role incredibly rewarding.”
For those thinking about volunteering, Susannah says, “It’s a steep learning curve and don’t underestimate the commitment, but the effort you put in is reflected in the skills you develop and how much you learn. For myself as a student, volunteering with Citizens Advice has been one of the best things I could do to prepare me for my legal career.”